This study deals with noise problems associated with the use of air-turbine drills in dental practice.
The sigh-speed dental drills offer an entirely new concept cavity preparation and presents by far the easiest method of cutting hard dental tissues.
The use of these machines, however, cause some new problems among which is the possibility of harmful effects on the hearing sense of the dental practitioners due to daily noise exposure.
Two hundred and ten dentists who were selected randomly have taken in this study.
All the dentists in my investigation were asked to complete a questionnaire and each of them an audiometric test was carried out. The mean value of the overall sound pressure level was found to be 69.1 dBA.
The results of audiometric tests were as follows:
- there was a direct relationship between the increase in hearing loss with age in all frequencies.
- There was a direct relationship between the increase in hearing loss with duration of exposure especially in 4000-6000-80000 HZ.
- The maximum hearing loss in all age groups were especially in 6000HZ and 8000 HZ respectively.
- The audiograms shows that hearing loss in the right ear is more than in the left. This difference might be due to the fact that the right ear is in right side of the dentist subjects.
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